RALEIGH – Today, thousands of students, families, elected officials and community members in North Carolina celebrated the joy of pedaling to school during National Bike to School Day.
This annual one-day event provides an opportunity for communities in North Carolina and nationwide to celebrate safe, active transportation and raise awareness to any changes needed to make bicycling safer.
"Bike to School Day is a great time to bring schools, families and communities together in celebrating the benefits and fun of safely bicycling to school,” said Ed Johnson, Safe Routes to School coordinator at the N.C. Department of Transportation. “Every day, drivers should remember to give bicyclists at least four feet of space when passing, while bikers should always wear a helmet."
Today, Johnson and other local officials joined students and families at Powell Center for Play and Ingenuity Magnet School in Raleigh for a Bike to School Day event. More than 140 North Carolina schools had registered events on Walk & Bike to School’s website.
The increasing popularity of Bike to School Day in North Carolina is largely due to Active Routes to School, a partnership project between NCDOT and the N.C. Division of Public Health. Ten regional coordinators are working to make it easier for elementary and middle school students in North Carolina to safely bike and walk to school.
Coordinated by the National Center for Safe Routes to School, Bike to School Day gives communities across the nation the opportunity to join together in bicycling to school on the same day. The national event is part of the movement for year-round safe routes to school and encourages bicycling to school as a healthy way for children and families to travel to and from school. For more information and a list of participating schools in North Carolina, visit Walk & Bike to School.